Your Guide to Creating a Personal Purpose Statement

When you’re connected to your purpose, life feels like a wonderful gift.

It allows you to be resilient, move through every day with a sense of inner wisdom, optimism, and contentment, and see the beauty in the small things.

But when you don’t know your purpose, life can feel, well, empty – full of hardship and a nagging feeling that something is missing.

If you’ve felt this way before, you’re not alone. Many of my clients – including high-performing entrepreneurs and accomplished professionals with multiple degrees – have deeply questioned the meaning of their lives.

What I’ve learned is that this feeling of discontentment isn’t something to fear. It’s actually an invitation to uncover your badass purpose and step into the best version of you!

Studies have discovered that people with a sense of purpose are happier, more resilient, and filled with hope. On top of that, they tend to live longer and often enjoy higher incomes. Clearly, there’s a lot to gain by discovering your purpose.

Okay, Lyn, I hear you say, having a sense of purpose sounds great – but how do I find it?

By creating your personal purpose statement.

Come, let me show you how.

What Is a Personal Purpose Statement?

Your personal purpose statement is the driving force behind your actions. It’s a sentence that encapsulates the language of your soul and helps you live your life as your authentic self.

Uncovering this statement is like embarking on a personal adventure of discovery, and it deserves your time and effort.

Everyone’s personal purpose statement is going to sound different, and it might take people different lengths of time to truly refine it.

Look at me, for example; I didn’t find my personal purpose statement until my thirties. Using one of the exercises I’ll show you below, I developed this draft for my life’s purpose: “I am an agent for goodness.”

Later, in my fifties, I took another assessment, and one line in the report perfectly captured the combination of my top strengths: “I am here to enliven and enlarge your vision of who you are and what you can achieve with who you are.”

I check in with this purpose statement often and use it to guide my day-to-day decisions and actions – who I should spend my time with, or what course of action I should take for a specific business decision.

Now that we know what a personal purpose statement is, let me show you a number of exercises to help you discover yours.

How to Write a Personal Purpose Statement: 3 Easy Exercises

Don’t overcomplicate it

A personal mission statement sounds like a big deal, but it really doesn’t need to be overly extravagant or embellished.

When crafting your personal purpose statement, draw from your intentions and interests, think about your dreams, and channel what sparks your happiness.

Before starting, it’s worth noting that your purpose statement can change several times throughout your life.

So don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get it perfect the first time – it’s meant to be a joyful task of compassionate self-exploration rather than a competition to hit the mark precisely!

With that said, here are three different exercises you can use to uncover your personal mission statement.

1. Reflection

Look back at any past assessments you’ve taken such as the Myers-Briggs test, DISC assessment, or Enneagram test. See if any sentences jump out at you as potential purpose statements. Jot them down on a pad of paper.

Reflect on your childhood and think about activities that made you lose track of time and exhilarate you. Add those items to the notes you’ve already taken.

Look for patterns among the items you’ve listed. Do any of them overlap and represent an aspect of your identity that you’d like to embrace as part of your purpose?

2. Purpose Attachment

Take a small event or a specific section of your life and attach a purpose to it. This could be a recent vacation, a creative project, or time you spent with friends.

Identify your overall intention for that event.

Think about the parts of that event that interest you the most.

Combine your thoughts into a mission statement. Here are a few examples to inspire you:

“To create lasting memories and deepen connections during this vacation.”
“To bring joy and relaxation to my weekend by engaging in activities that rejuvenate my spirit.”
“To transform my living space through a creative and fulfilling room repainting project.”

3. Hard-Hitting Questions

Here’s a more soul-busting way to uncover your purpose. It consists of asking yourself some pretty deep questions and embarking on a quest to formulate your life purpose statement.

Ask yourself the following questions:

What would you do if you never had to worry about earning money? Imagine beyond the initial excitement and think about how you would spend your time in the long run.
What topics make you so passionate that you would engage in a heated debate with strangers?
What fears do you have about being judged by others? Are they stopping you from pursuing dreams that would enrich your life?
Can you envision a bold, fearless version of yourself? What is the vision that includes doing daring things?

Once you have your answers, play around with them and try to write at least three different purpose statements.

Personal Mission Statement Examples

With these simple exercises, I want you to be gentle with yourself. Stay curious, lean into your creativity, and explore your inner world with courage and kindness.

To help inspire you to come up with your own, here are some examples of personal mission statements:

To empower others to unlock their full potential and live purpose-driven life.
To inspire positive change in the world through creativity and innovation.
To promote health and wellness in individuals and communities.
To advocate for equal rights and social justice for all.
To educate and empower underprivileged children through access to quality education.
To foster environmental sustainability and protect the planet for future generations.
To be a compassionate and caring advocate for those in need.
To lead by example and inspire others to lead fulfilling and balanced lives.
To bring joy and happiness to people’s lives through my artistic expression.
To build meaningful and authentic relationships based on trust and respect.
To continuously learn and grow intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.
To promote financial literacy and empower individuals to achieve financial independence.
To be a loving and supportive partner, parent, and family member.
To be a lifelong learner and share knowledge with others.
To be a catalyst for personal and professional growth in others.
To use my skills and resources to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of marginalized communities.
To be a compassionate listener and support others in their journey of self-discovery and healing.
To champion diversity and inclusivity in all aspects of life.
To be an advocate for mental health awareness and destigmatization.
To leave a legacy of kindness, empathy, and positive change.
To be a role model and mentor for aspiring leaders.
To foster creativity and innovation in education.
To create beautiful and meaningful art that evokes emotion and inspires others.
To promote animal welfare and be a voice for those who cannot speak.
To lead a balanced and healthy lifestyle, prioritizing self-care and well-being.
To bring hope and happiness to individuals facing adversity.
To be a lifelong advocate for personal and environmental sustainability.
To serve my community and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
To use my platform to raise awareness and support for important social causes.

It’s Time to Boldly State Your Purpose

Uncovering your purpose can feel daunting, but it’s already within you, waiting to be discovered.

In my new book, I give you all the tools you need to discover your purpose, boost your confidence, and find lasting fulfillment.

Get your copy today and start reaching for the purpose-filled, badass life of your dreams!